Rotary engine



(No Model.) zshee-shee 2.

BVERSTRAETE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Paented Jan. 18,'1887.

Unrrn Srnrfns n'rnfivr amen.

' JAMES H. ROVE, OF

DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,384, dated January18, 1887.

Application filed April 8, 1886. Serial No. 198,228.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMOND Vnns'rannre, a subject of the King ofBelgium, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RotaryEngines, of which the following is a specification, to wit:

This invention relates to rotary engines; and it consists in certainpeculiarities of the con- :ro struction and arrangement of the same, substantially as will be hereinafter more fully lset forthand claimed.

In order to enable others skilled in the art 'to which my inventionpertains to make and4 use the same,I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure lisa vertical transverse section, Fig. 2 a longitudinalsection, and Fig. 3 a side elevation, of my engine arranged for steam,

and Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same arranged for gas orvapor. Fig. 5 is a view of the radially-grooved side plate.

(L represents the base and circular ring or cylinder, which is providedon each side with a plate or head, a', through which runs the main shafta2, as shown. Within the cylinder isplaced, upon the shaft, a circularcasting,b, between which and the Outer ring 0r frame is 3 0 the passageb for the steam. This casting?) is formed with a series of radialsockets, b2, in which are placed the pistonheads b3, of a sufflcientsize and proper shape to entirely close the steam-passage when they arepressed out 3 5 by the springs c behind them, and also by the steam,which cnt-ers the socket by means of a small steamlead, c', as in Fig.2. The casting b is on each side provided with an annular plate, d,secured thereto, and havingits edges 4o lying in annular grooves d inthe cylindrical main frame. These plates are also formed withradialgrooves d'2, in which the edges of the piston-heads are guided andheld.

`Within the steam-passage b, at one side,is an 45 inclined or cam piece,e, one part of which is formed to entirely fill the steam-passage, andthe other inclined, as in Fig. 2, so that the piston-heads are by itpushed into their sockets. The inlet-passagef through the shellconnects5o with a similar one, f', in the cam-piece e, and' (No model.)

is delivered through the end ofthe same to the piston. The eXh aust f 2is preferably taken out below, and it will be observed that the cam orincline e is narrowed up over this exhaust to give plenty of room forthe passage of the steam, and the exhaust follows up the side of theshell to the point at which the piston-head is entirely drawn back.

The exhaust is led off in any desired direction, and the steam isadmitted by means ofa 6.3 valve in the inlet-pipe, as at g, which isoperated from the main shaft by any suitable Inechanical arrangement,(not here shown,) as many are well known, and it forms no part of mypresent invention.

In operation steam is admitted to the passage b', and at once passesinto the socket behind e the pistouhead and forces it out; then, actingon the side of the piston, drives the casting b and main shaft `aroundtill the exhaust is reached, when 'the piston is gradually forced in bythe cam-piece e and the operation re peated. It will be noticed that theside plates of the casting I) are of sufficient size to overlap thesides of the main frame, and are grooved to receive the piston-hcads-This construction enables me to retain a steam-tight joint and preventthe escape of steam after the engine has become somewhat worn, and noleakage is had, as the side plates or heads,a,are provided 8o with anannular packing-ring, g', as shown in the drawings.

The main shaft is upon one end provided with a fly-wheel, le., and theother end of the shaft may be directly connected to the work;

but if a belt-wheel is used on this end of the shaftI provide a base,t', on which the whole machine is mounted and provided with bearings ifor the main shaft, as in Fig. l. This prevents the belt strain on oneend of the 9o shaft from causing a twist and unequal wear of the partsof the engine.

This engine is readily used with any liquid or vapor, whether steam,water, or gas. In the latter case I prefer to construct the base of themachine, as in Fig. 4,with a hollow chamber, 7c, which is to containgasoline or similar gas-producing liquid. A pump, k', is connected withthe main shaft and with the bottom of the chamber, and supplies airthereto, roo

which in its passage through the gasoline becomes charged therewith, andis then by a pipe, k2, conducted to the inlet-port of the engine, whereit is exploded by means well known and not necessary to herein describe.

The construction described is quite simple, and will be readily kept inproper condition and steam-tight.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a. rotary engine, the combination,with the outer shell and thepiston-disk revolving therein and provided with the radiallyslidingheads, of the llling-pieee between the two, completely illing thesteamspaee at one end, and having the supply'port formed through it, andthe other end inclined or cani-shaped and formed narrow to permit theexhauststeaxn to escape upon each side, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination,with the circular shell a, formedwith the grooves d', the inlet-port f, and the outlet-port f2, elongatedas shown, of the piston-disk b, radially-sliding pistons b", theradially-grooved plates d, and the ca1n-pieee e, all constructed andarranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si gnature in 3o presence of twowitnesses.

EDMON D VERSTRAETE.

W'itnesses:

W. C. MoARTl-IUR, W. S. MCARTHUR.

